COTS
Creating Opportunities To Succeed
COTS
EIN: 38-2420565
as of November 2023
as of November 13, 2023
Mission
COTS mission is to create and facilitate opportunities that empower families in poverty to collaborate, thrive, and succeed in building strong households, neighborhoods, and communities.
Ruling year
1983
Chief Executive Offier
Mrs. Cheryl P. Johnson
Main address
26 Peterboro Street Suite 100
Detroit, MI 48201 USA
EIN
38-2420565
Basic and emergency aid
Housing services
Homeless shelters
Homeless services
Population served
Families
Homeless people
NTEE code
Other Housing Support Services (L80)
Emergency Assistance (Food, Clothing, Cash) (P60)
Homeless Services/Centers (P85)
IRS subsection
501(c)(3) Public Charity
IRS filing requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
Tax forms
Communication
Affiliations
Programs and results
Reports and documents
Download annual reportsWhat we aim to solve
Families experiencing and overcoming homelessness need more than a safe space and meals. They require services and support that help them break the cycle of poverty to permanently end homelessness for themselves and their children. Other families are at risk of homelessness and require services to maintain housing and improve their overall stability. For 40 years, COTS has served the most vulnerable members of the Detroit community with shelter, affordable and supportive housing, child care, and other basic needs. Over time, we noticed an increasing number of families with children enter our emergency shelter only to see these children return years later as adults with children of their own. We realized that while we were providing vital housing to hundreds of families experiencing homelessness, we were not addressing what was, more often than not, the root cause of that homelessness. We were witnessing cycles of generational poverty that housing alone would not eliminate.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Shelter and Supportive Housing
COTS provides housing and support to more than 1,000 people daily —and more than 60 percent of those served are children. Our Programs include emergency shelter for families; supportive housing with assistance for addiction, disability, or illness; and affordable housing. Services include workforce development support and training, financial empowerment training, and children’s services such as learning labs to support academic success, drop-in child care to help working parents, and child development services for families experiencing homelessness.
The theory of change that undergirds all of COTS services is COTS Passport to Self-Sufficiency™ (PTS). PTS is a research-based transformative strategy of coaching and mentoring designed to create poverty-resistant families by focusing on housing, financial empowerment, health, and well-being, education, and training, and employment and career development.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
Certified EMPath Mobility Mentoring Practitioner Agency 2023
External reviews
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Average number of service recipients per month
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Shelter and Supportive Housing
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Decreasing
Number of people no longer couch surfing or doubling up with others as a result of the nonprofit's efforts
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Shelter and Supportive Housing
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Decreasing
Context Notes
The number of heartbeats (persons) who found refuge in Peggy's Place Family Emergency Shelter thus no longer couch surfing, doubling up, or sleeping in vehicles or other inadequate spaces.
Number of homebuyers/tenants with low incomes receiving housing subsidies as a result of the nonprofit's efforts
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Shelter and Supportive Housing
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
COTS explores and implements frameworks aimed at addressing needs within the community we serve. SOCIAL IMPACT: This strategy embodies the significantly positive result of partnering with families to help them thrive in their households, neighborhoods, and communities.
COTS is committed to furthering our advocacy work for families we partner with through ADVANCEMENT OF INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & ACCESS: This strategy assists in developing the understanding and practice of racial equity and inclusion principles.
COTS invests in the capacity of our organization through ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: This strategy is set to create and sustain a dynamic culture and environment of learning and applied knowledge that fosters high-functioning board members, leaders, and teams, resulting in quality outcomes.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
COTS Organizational Development goals include:
• Cultural alignment with our values, mission, and purpose
• An engaged knowledgeable and informed Board of Directors
• Strategic recruitment of engaged, Knowledgeable, and informed staff
• Continuous evaluation of the effectiveness of organizational strategies and tactics
COTS Advancement goals include:
• Engaging affected populations and stakeholders
• Identifying and addressing root causes of inequities
• Assessing policies and decision-making practices
• Gathering and analyzing data
COTS Social Impact goals include:
• Advancement in the 5 Passport Domains for both parents and children
• Local and national advocacy
• Neighborhood engagement
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We act on the feedback we receive, We share the feedback we received with the people we serve
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time
Financials
Financial documents
Download audited financialsRevenue vs. expenses: breakdown
Liquidity in 2022 info
6.11
Months of cash in 2022 info
5.1
Fringe rate in 2022 info
24%
Funding sources info
Assets & liabilities info
Financial data
COTS
Balance sheetFiscal Year: Jul 01 - Jun 30
The balance sheet gives a snapshot of the financial health of an organization at a particular point in time. An organization's total assets should generally exceed its total liabilities, or it cannot survive long, but the types of assets and liabilities must also be considered. For instance, an organization's current assets (cash, receivables, securities, etc.) should be sufficient to cover its current liabilities (payables, deferred revenue, current year loan, and note payments). Otherwise, the organization may face solvency problems. On the other hand, an organization whose cash and equivalents greatly exceed its current liabilities might not be putting its money to best use.
Fiscal Year: Jul 01 - Jun 30
This snapshot of COTS’s financial trends applies Nonprofit Finance Fund® analysis to data hosted by GuideStar. While it highlights the data that matter most, remember that context is key – numbers only tell part of any story.
Created in partnership with
Business model indicators
| Profitability info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) before depreciation | $4,266,256 | $2,824,926 | $1,308,482 | $1,135,366 | $536,918 |
| As % of expenses | 53.9% | 34.3% | 18.1% | 15.4% | 7.4% |
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) after depreciation | $3,977,390 | $2,561,022 | $943,201 | $761,636 | $158,032 |
| As % of expenses | 48.5% | 30.1% | 12.4% | 9.8% | 2.1% |
| Revenue composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total revenue (unrestricted & restricted) | $13,894,022 | $11,076,514 | $7,154,492 | $8,999,514 | $7,637,731 |
| Total revenue, % change over prior year | 17.6% | -20.3% | -35.4% | 25.8% | -15.1% |
| Program services revenue | 2.5% | 3.0% | 5.0% | 3.7% | 4.6% |
| Membership dues | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Investment income | 1.0% | 2.0% | 5.0% | 1.3% | -0.8% |
| Government grants | 20.1% | 23.7% | 38.2% | 39.5% | 46.5% |
| All other grants and contributions | 76.1% | 56.1% | 51.7% | 55.4% | 47.1% |
| Other revenue | 0.2% | 15.1% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 2.5% |
| Expense composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses before depreciation | $7,910,901 | $8,247,729 | $7,229,508 | $7,359,220 | $7,216,261 |
| Total expenses, % change over prior year | -4.3% | 4.3% | -12.3% | 1.8% | -1.9% |
| Personnel | 49.1% | 46.7% | 50.8% | 49.3% | 51.3% |
| Professional fees | 2.9% | 6.8% | 4.2% | 6.3% | 4.4% |
| Occupancy | 23.7% | 20.1% | 23.2% | 23.3% | 22.7% |
| Interest | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Pass-through | 12.2% | 9.8% | 2.8% | 1.3% | 1.0% |
| All other expenses | 12.1% | 16.7% | 19.0% | 19.9% | 20.5% |
| Full cost components (estimated) info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses (after depreciation) | $8,199,767 | $8,511,633 | $7,594,789 | $7,732,950 | $7,595,147 |
| One month of savings | $659,242 | $687,311 | $602,459 | $613,268 | $601,355 |
| Debt principal payment | $0 | $0 | $0 | $655,000 | $350,000 |
| Fixed asset additions | $1,957,288 | $3,830,448 | $1,688,989 | $1,492,646 | $0 |
| Total full costs (estimated) | $10,816,297 | $13,029,392 | $9,886,237 | $10,493,864 | $8,546,502 |
Capital structure indicators
| Liquidity info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Months of cash | 3.2 | 5.3 | 6.2 | 3.5 | 5.1 |
| Months of cash and investments | 21.0 | 16.2 | 18.9 | 15.1 | 16.6 |
| Months of estimated liquid unrestricted net assets | 24.7 | 22.2 | 25.8 | 23.7 | 27.4 |
| Balance sheet composition info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | $2,110,748 | $3,614,543 | $3,755,475 | $2,122,325 | $3,079,572 |
| Investments | $11,762,757 | $7,490,382 | $7,608,480 | $7,145,778 | $6,887,626 |
| Receivables | $4,914,743 | $7,563,065 | $7,739,406 | $8,564,103 | $9,228,367 |
| Gross land, buildings, equipment (LBE) | $6,078,517 | $9,908,965 | $11,597,956 | $13,090,602 | $11,118,964 |
| Accumulated depreciation (as a % of LBE) | 52.1% | 34.6% | 32.7% | 31.9% | 39.2% |
| Liabilities (as a % of assets) | 5.8% | 5.6% | 14.5% | 10.2% | 8.1% |
| Unrestricted net assets | $18,828,664 | $21,389,686 | $22,332,887 | $23,094,523 | $23,252,555 |
| Temporarily restricted net assets | $2,555,414 | $2,555,414 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Permanently restricted net assets | $324,042 | $324,042 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Total restricted net assets | $2,879,456 | $2,879,456 | $1,144,728 | $1,462,220 | $1,164,270 |
| Total net assets | $21,708,120 | $24,269,142 | $23,477,615 | $24,556,743 | $24,416,825 |
Key data checks
| Key data checks info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material data errors | No | No | No | No | No |
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Documents
Chief Executive Offier
Mrs. Cheryl P. Johnson
Cheryl P. Johnson is a remarkable figure in Metropolitan Detroit, known for her transformative leadership. As the CEO of COTS and an Integral Life Coach, Cheryl is a dedicated servant leader with a purpose-driven approach. For more than three decades, she has tirelessly improved the lives of families overcoming poverty in Detroit through her work at COTS, leading a committed team and serving thousands of families annually.
Cheryl's thought leadership is evident in COTS's Passport to Self-Sufficiency™, a theory of change aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty for future generations. Her coaching approach, informed by her training as an Integral Life Coach, emphasizes self-awareness and intentionality to foster long-term success. Cheryl's ability to challenge limiting narratives has inspired countless breakthrough insights in both COTS residents and executive coaching clients. Her impact on individuals and organizations is profound, as she fosters inspiration, teamwork, and growth.
Number of employees
Source: IRS Form 990
COTS
Officers, directors, trustees, and key employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
There are no highest paid employees recorded for this organization.
COTS
Board of directorsas of 09/19/2023
Board of directors data
Ms. Linda Koos
Mr. Jeffrey Rivera
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Linda Koos
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Dr. Rita Fields
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Joshua Jaime
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Deborah Jones
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Sammye Van Diver
Retired - Health Alliance Plan
Carol Goss
Retired
Karissa Antonio
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
LaTrice McClendon
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Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 08/17/2023GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Contractors
Fiscal year endingProfessional fundraisers
Fiscal year endingSOURCE: IRS Form 990 Schedule G
Solicitation activities
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